Drag



May 15, 1928. 1,670,265

A. J. LEEDOM DRAG ' File'd March 28, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY WITNESS: 8S N May 15, 1928.

A. J. LEEDOM DRAG Filed Marc 1128, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTOR N EY May 15,1928.

A. J. LEEDOM DRAG Filed March 8, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 15, 1928. 1,670,265

A. J. LEEDOM DRAG Filed March 28, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fh &w

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Q I o F S o I S flxfzeedom/ WITNESS: I ATTORNEY Patented May 15, 1928.

UNITED STATES ANDKEW I. LEEIDOM, OF TUBLOCK, CALIFORNIA.

F DRAG.

Application filed March 28, rear. Serial no. 179,041.

My present invention has reference to a road surfacingjmachine or drag, and my object is the provision of a machine for this purposein which the blades are so arranged 5 as to cause the road surface to travel at different angles therebetween so that all of the dirt will be equally distributed over the road.

A further object is the provision of a road surfacin'gmachine or drag'having angularly arrangedbl'ades which are mounted, in a novel mannero'n a wheeled frame, and in which means, operable from the front of the machine, is employed for vertically adjusting the rear or ground wheels one with respect to the other to cause the frame and the blades to assume desired angles, there bein also means for vertically adjusting the from or guide wheels of the machine that is likewise operable from the front of the machine.

A still further and important object of the invention is the provision of a road surfacing' machine and drag, which includes a flu frame mounted on wheels, the said frame carrying angularly arranged road contacting blades, while pivotally associated with the frame there is an auxiliary frame also carrying blades, there beingmeans for adjusting and sustaining the auxiliary frame angularly with respect to the main frame, while on therea'r of both of the frames there is a blade made u of two hingedly connect ed sections on'e 0 said sections being swingable with the'auxiliary frame, and the other section being attached to the main frame, said rear blade being pivot-ally supported whereby the same may be swung at any desired angles with respect to the machine and alsowhereby the natural crown of the road is maintained and the rear or spreader blade may be swun as to direct t e dirt either to the center of the road or to the gutter at the side thereof. A still further. object is the provision of a road surfacing machine or drag which includes bladesarrangedin cooperating series,

one series of blades being disposed at an opposite angle to that of the other series, means being provided for raising the blades out of road contacting engagement or for lowering s'aidblades to desired degrees of road contact, the" improvement also including arear or spreader blade which is made up of a fixed; section in a line with one of the series of the mentioned blade and and sustained at such angle-s a hinged section in a line with the second series of blades, there being means for swinging the hinge section simultaneously with the said series of blades and there being, further means for swinging the rear sectional blade horizontally and sustaining the same to anydesired angle with respect to the first mentioned blades. 7

To the attainment of the foregoing broad ly stated objects and many others which will appear as the nature of the invention is"bet'- ter understood, the improvement further resides in certain other novel features of construction, combination and operative asso' ciation of parts, a satisfactory embodiment of which is disclosed by the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: V I

v Figure l is a plan view of my im provement. 7 I

Figure 2 is a sectional view approximate- 1y on theline 22 of Figure 1. y

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the improvement.

Figure 4 is a sectional View approximately on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail horizontal sectional viewapproxim'ately on the line 55 of Figure 3. I I

Figure 6 is a detail view, with parts in section, to illustrate the mannerin which the auxiliary frame is hingedly secured to the main frame. g p s Figure 7 is a sectional View approximately on thelines'77 of Figure 1. v

Figure 8 is a sectional View approximately onthe line 88'of Figure 1.

Figure '9 is" a sectional View approximately on the line 99 of Figure i,

Figure 10 is a sectional view approximate ly on the line 1O1O of Figure 2 As disclosed by the drawings I make use of a substantially rectangular frame 1. The

, frame is preferably formed of I beams that have their ends firmlvriveted together and the side members of the frame connected by suitable brace beams. The end members of the frame are connected by a longitudinal beam 2 that is secured" to the said ends at a point beyondthe center] of the frame 1, and the cross beams are also connected to the said beam 2. v y

Journaled in suitablebearings] 3'--3 and i--l arranged respectively on thef bea'ni 2 arid the sideibeams of the framed there" are shafts and. 6, respectively: These shafts a rack surface 10.

dles for ground wheels 7. The ground wheels 7 are arranged adjacent to the rear of the frame 1, and each of the shafts 5 and 6 has fixedly secured thereto an upstanding arm 8. To theouter end of each arm 8 there is pivoted a bar 9 that has a The bars 9 are guided through substantially U-shaped uprights 11 that are secured to one of the cross beams 12 for the frame. The lower edges of the bars 9 rest on rollers 13 that are suitably journaled between the arms of the U- shaped uprights 11. Each upright 11 s connected by the angle ends of a plate 14 to an upright 15 that is also supported on the transverse brace beam 12. Journaled through suitable bearing openings in the U-shaped uprights 11 and m the straight uprights 15 there are shafts 16. On the portions of the shafts received between the U-shaped uprights I 11 there are fixed toothed wheels 17 that are in mesh with the rack surfaces on the bars 11, and on the ends of the shafts 16 which extend through the uprights there are fixed worm wheels 18. The worm wheels 18 are in mesh with worms 19 on shafts 20 that are supported in suitable bearings and are directed toward the front'of the device. The outer ends of these shafts have secured thereon hand wheels 21. .By operating either of the hand wheels it will be apparent that a swinging movement will be imparted to one of the wheel supporting crank shafts, so that one of the ground wheels 7 may be vertically adjusted with respect to the second ground wheels Also incident to the toothed engagement between the worms 19 and the worm wheels 18 the crank shafts 5 or 6 will be effectively sustained in adjusted position.

Secured to the front of the frame there is a yoke 22 through which the forward ends of the shafts 20 pass, and the hand wheels 21, as disclosed by Figure 1 of the drawings, may have secured thereon crank handles 23.

Fixedly secured to the sides of the frame 1. at the front thereof, and clamped to the channel iron of the said front of the frame there are inwardly inclined bars in the nature of hounds 24-, the said bars or hounds having their outer ends formed with straight extensions between which there is arranged, and to which there is bolted, the hollow headed end 25 of a rearwardly extending bar 26. The rear inner end of this bar 26 is fixedly secured to a laterally extending brace bar 27 that is fixed to one of the beams 2. The portion of the bar 26, ad-

jacent to its headed end 25, is arched. the

on hound members 24 being arched at points opposite thearched portion 28 of the bar 26 and this arrangement permits of the free turning of the guide wheels 29 at the front of the machine. The guide wheels are journaled upon spindles on the ends of an axle 30. This axle supports thereon a block or bcaringfil in which is swivelcd a screw 32 that passes through aligning openings in the head 25. Threaded on the screw and finding a bearing bet-ween the opposite walls in the open head 25 there is a hub member that carries a gear 33. This beveled gear 33 is in mesh with a similar gear 31- that has a stub shaft journaled in a hearing in a bracket 36 which is preferably integrally formed on one side of the head 25. The shaft for the beveled gear 3t, between the arms of the bracket 36 has fixed thereon a worm wheel 3T, the said wheel being in mesh with a worm 38 on a shaft 39 that is suitably journaled in the bracket 36 and in the mentioned yoke 22. On the outer end of the shaft 39 there is a hand wheel 40, and this wheel may be also provided with a hand grip 41. It will be apparent that by turning the hand wheel'the bolt or screw member 32 will be adjusted vertically through the head 25, so that theframe may be raised or lowered with respect to the ground wheels 29. The block or hearing 31 for the screw 32 has pivotally connected therewith a rod 42 that has an offset end, and the offsetend of this rod is designed to be passed through one link of a chain 43 that has its end link secured to an eye or clevis 14 that projects from the lower edge of the head 25, and this chain 43 is designed to be attached to a tractor or like means for propelling the mar'l'iinc. ()n the mentioned transverse member 27. below the bar 26 there are secured rearwardly extending plates disposed at opposite angles so that the same are V-sbaped in plan and th se plates provide dirt deflectors iii. l ixcdly secured to the beam 2. in a line with our of the angle deflectors 45 there is an angle plate 46, and on the outer face of this plate there is fixedly secured, a cross sectionally arched and curved scraper blade 47. Forward of the blade 47 and fixed to one side of the frame 1 and to the said beam 2, and arranged at an opposite angle with respect to the blade 47 there is a second and similar blade 48. The blade 47 is comparatively short, but the blade 48 extends beyond one of the sides of the frame. Also fixed between the mentioned side member of the frame 1 and the longitudinal brace member therefor, to the rear of the blade 47, and arranged at the same angle as the blade 48, there is a blade 49. It is, of course, to be understood that the blades 48 and 49 are curved in cross section and are secured to bod) or brace plates similar to the plate 46, for the blade -17.

ill

ltlll H The auxiliary frame is indicated broadly the humeral 50, and is preferably cons ittc'ted of I beans; Fiitedly seeured, adjacent to the eh-tls in the other ehannel of the 'Ihlli side member of the auxiliary frame theie are triinniohsflhl who'se' ends aie" received in bearings 52am are fixedly seta ed to the endmembers of the main frame 1. It is to be hOt-Cl that the inner member of the auxiliar frame is disposed a distance way from the center o'fth main frame approiimately equalling the distance at which he beam 2 is spaced from the said frame, and that the outer beam of the auxiliary frame is disposed suitable distance inwaifdly from the side beam of the main frame to which the blades 48 and 49 are fixed. The auxiliary frame has secured to the forward end thereof a cross sectionally Qiiiv'd blade 53 arranged opposite the blade 28 and disposed at the saihe angle as the blade 47, and has also fixed thereto a blade 54 disposed opposite the blade 49 but arranged "at the same angle as the blade 53. These blades have their frames fiied to both the inner aix'd outer side members of the a xiliary frame 50, While fixed to the inner side member of the auxiliary frame disp ead o posite. the blade 47, but arranged in p e same plane or angle as the blade tS there is a blade 55. It will thus be noted that the central blade carried by the auxiliary frame is disposed at an opposite angle with respect to the other blades which are fixed thieto, which, of course, is true with respect to the blades that are fined to themain frame and by such arrangement it will be noted that the dirt on the road. being contacted by all of the blades will be caused to take a tortuous 'p'ath whenthe machine tray'els over the roadso that the dirt will be venly distributed and a smooth road surface presented.

Journald in suitable upright bearings 56 on the side member of the main frame, adja cent" to the auxiliary frame 50, there is a longitudinally extending shaft 57. Having one of their ends secured to this shaft there are chains or like flexible elements The elements 58 are wound around the shaft and haye their second ends fixedly secured to the outer side member of the auxiliary time 50. The shaft 57 has a universal joint coniiec' tion 59 and a short shaft extensioii 60 and the shaft extension 60 in turn has a universa'l connection 61 with an operating shaft 62. The shaft 62 is jeumaled in suitable hearings on the forward end of the main frame and throiigh a bearing opening in the outer element of the yoke 22. Fix-ed on the a ter of the shaft 62 there is a ratchet Wheel 63 and journaled on the said shaft ate the bifurcated arms of operating lever 64, the aims of the said lever straddling the ratchet wheel 63, whilepivorted be tween the said arms there is a dog 65 to eiigage with the ratchet wheel. By operating the leyer 64 it will be apparent that the shaft-- 57 will he turned so that the auxiliary frame may be on its" pivots 51 atdesired angles with respeet to the main frame or flush with such main frame. To hold the universally connected shafts from free t urnmg there is fixed on the upper end of the shaft 62 a pawl wheel 66 and on the outer member of the yoke 22 a pivoted pawl 67 to engage with the teeth of the Wheel 66;

The cross brace 27 ispivotally secured, as at 68, to the inner side of the auxiliary frame, and fixed on the inner side of the beam 2, to the rear of the scraper blades 49 and 50 there is a laterally extending member which may be termed a brace and which is indicated by the numeral 69.- This member 69 is pivoted, as at 7 O, to the inner side member of the auxiliary frame 50. ()n the lateral extension or brace member 69 there is fixedly secured a block 71; As dis closed by Figure 9 of the drawings, this block may be in the nature of a channel member and has passed through the horizontal flanges thereof a headed bolt 72. The end of this belt that passes through the top of the block is engaged by the threaded bore of one end of a crank handle 73. The bolt 72 passes through an opeiiingin the upper flange of an angle plate 74. This angle plate is of a length to extendbeyond the side of the main frame to which the blades 48 and 49 are secured, the said side member of the II1ELlIl f1HlTl6 having arranged thereo'ver a plate 75 throii'gh which passes b'olt inenibe'fs 7 6 that contact with the opposite edges of the said side member of the main frame, the said bolts also passing throiigh an elongated opening 77 in the horizontal flange of the angle plate 74b and likewise through openings in a plate 78 arranged on the under face of the said flange. Fixed on the vertical flange of the angle plate 75' there is a scraper blade 79. By this arrangement it will be noted that the blades 79 may be swung horizontally to desired angles on the main frame and by tightening the screws 80 on the bolts 76 and by turning the crank handle 73 the said plate may be effectively sustained at small angles.

The inner end of the plate 7 terminates a slight distance from the inner side of the auxiliary frame 50, and this angle plate 74 has its outer edge concaved for the reception of the rounded end of a similar plate 81; The plate 81 is pivotahy connected to the plate 7 t by means 82; and on the vertical flange of the plate 81 there is secured a blade 83 similar to the blade 79. The horizontal flange of the plate 81 is secured to the outer longitudinal beam on the auxiliary frame 50 by means similar to: those which connect the plate 74 to the main frame, that is, through the medium of spaced bolts 84 that pass through elongated slots 85 in the horizontal flange of the plate 81, the said bolts also passing through openings in a lower plate 86 that underlies the horizontal flange of the plate 81 and through an upper plate 87 arranged over the outer I beam member of the auxiliary frame, these bolts having threaded thereon nuts 88. By this arrangement it will be noted that the blade 83 may be swung in unison and sustained at the same angle as the blade 79, but further it will be noted that the hinged connection between these blades permits of the blade 83 assuming any desired angle with respect to the blade 79. Of course, it is to be understood that the downward swinging of the blade 83 is accomplished by the operation of the shaft 57 and is in unison with the swinging of the remaining blades attached to the auxiliary frame. By arranging the blade 79 with the hinged exten sion 83, the last mentioned blades, together with the blades on the auxiliary frame when the latter is permitted to move downwardly, scrape the road bed in a manner to maintain the natural crown of the road. The rear sectional blade, when swung horizontally, will engage with and direct the dirt to either the center of the road or to the gutter along the side of the road, and the simplicity of my construction and the advantages thereof will, it is believed, be fully understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art to which such invention relates, when the foregoing description has been read in connection ,with the accompanying drawings.

The nature of my invention is such as to necessarily render the same susceptible to changes in size, proportion and in details of construction, and, therefore, it is to be understood that I have herein set forth only one of a number of satisfactory embodiments of my invention and that I am not to be restricted thereto, but may make such changes and modifications therefrom as fairly fall within the scope of what I claim, providing such changes do not sacrifice any of the advantages of my improvement.

Having described the invention, I claim 1. A road drag con'lprising a substantially rectangular main frame having a cmnparatively short angularly arranged scraper blade secured thereto, and longer scraper blades arranged at the same angle but at different angles with respect to the first mentioned blade, which latter extends beyond one side of the frame, an auxiliary frame pivotally supported in the main frame having similarly arranged scraper blades thereon, a longitudinally extending shaft journaled on the main frame, flexible elements thereon wound therearound and secured to the auxiliary frame, means for rotating the shaft, to arrange the auxiliary frame angularly with respect tothe main frame and means for holding said shaft from rotation.

2. A road drag including a main frame supported on ground wheels and on guide wheels, said frame having a comparatively short scraper blade thereon arranged at an angle with respect to the frame and having longer scraper blades to the opposite side of the first mentioned blade arranged at an angle to said first mentioned blade, an auxiliary frame pivotally supported in the main frame and having blades fixed thereon disposed at the same angle and arranged opposite the blades on the main frame, means for swinging the auxiliary frame to arrange the blades thereon angularly with respect to the blades of the main frame and means for adjusting the ground wheels and the drive guide wheels vertically with respeet to the main frame.

3. A road drag including a substantially rectangular main frame, having a comparatively short angu'larly arranged Inner ground scraping blade thereon and having longer ground scraper blades arranged to the opposite sides of the first mentioned blade, an auxiliary frame pivotally secured on the main frame, and having inner and outer blades arranged at different inclinations from the blades on the main frame, an angular deflector carried by the frame between the inner blades of the main and auxiliary frames and means for swingably adjusting the auxiliary frame with respect to the main frame.

4. A road drag comprising a substantially rectangular frame, supported on ground wheels and on guide wheels, means for independently adjusting either of the ground wheels with respect to the frame, means for simultaneously adjusting the guide wheels with respect to the frame, a central and outer scraper blades secured on the frame, an auxiliary frame pivotally secured to the main frame, scraper blades on the auxiliary frame arranged opposite but at different angles to the blades on the main frame, means for swingably adjusting the auxiliary frame with respect to the main frame, a gathering blade to the rear of the first mentioned blades, including a section which is pivotally supported on the main frame and swingable horizontally thereon and a second section which is hinged to the first mentioned section supported by and s\\'ing'uble on the auxiliary frame.

5. A road drag including a substantially rectangular main frame, and an auxiliar frame arranged in and pivotally secured to the end of the main frame, ground wheels for the main frame, means for independently adjusting either of the ground wheels vertically with respect to the frame and for sustaining the said Wheels so adjusted, means for vertically adjusting the steering Wheels With respect to the frame, and both of said adjusting means being operable from the front of the tame, a longitudinal beam connecting the ends of the main frame and disposed to one sideof the auxiliary frame, transverse brace means for the main frame, members extending latera'lly from the beam and pivotally secured to the auxiliary frame, a substantially V-shaped deflector carried by the forward brace, a comparatively shortangle blade supported from the beam and arranged in a line with one of the angle sides of the dc fiector, other blades secured between the beam and one side of the main frame and arranged in the same plane and at different angles to the first mentioned blade, similar blades carried by the auxiliary frame, but arranged opposite and at different angles to the blades on the main frame, a blade pivotally secured to the rear brace, binding means between the pivot for said blade and said brace, said blade comprising two sec tions Which are hingedly connected, adjustable clamping means between one of the section and one of the sides of the main frame, similar clamping means between the second section and the auxiliary frame, both of said clamping means permitting the horizontal swinging 0f the sectional blade, as a unit on both of the frames, a shaft, a flexible element Wound therearound and having one end secured thereto, the second end of said element being fixed to the auxiliary frame, and means actuated from the forward end of the frame for revolving the shaft, and means for holding the shaft from turning.

ANDREW J. LEEDOM. 

